Monthly Archives: November 2017

Though Chinese import restrictions have targeted all materials, scrap paper received a disproportionate blow as Jinping’s government officials planned to reduce the acceptable level of contamination for recycled paper loads to 0.3 percent, intending to fully implement the changes by the end of 2018. For reference, the current standards demand scrap paper imports have…

Without China, the US and other countries, including Australia, that heavily rely on exporting recyclables, specifically low-grade plastic scrap, to manage an ever-growing waste stream will have to turn to alternative markets, such as Southeast Asia, India, Latin America, and the Middle East. However, these markets will never fully replace China’s level of consumption:…

According to the recently-released United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2016 Workplace Injury and Illness Data report, while overall injury rates for the waste management and remediation sectors are on the decline, material recovery facility (MRF) and landfill workers experienced a higher incidence of on-the-job injuries and work-related illnesses than in 2015. In…

China’s import bans have led to market turmoil both domestically and abroad; though, China shows no signs of backing down, as the government is focused on long-term environmental gains rather than easing short-term economic upheaval. Chinese officials are equally adamant on cutting dependency on foreign commodities. As the government implements import bans and fails…